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Category: Plants

  • Christmas Tree Light Guide

    Wondering what lights to buy for your home this Christmas? Not sure how many lights you will need to cover your tree? Whatever your decoration plans, we’ve got you covered to ensure your Christmas tree has a festive glow.

    Types of Christmas Lights

    White – white fairy lights are the traditional choice, adding an instant sparkle to your home. There are two main types to choose from, cool white lights and warm white lights. Cool white lights give off a bright white effect, while warm white lights create a golden glow.

    Coloured – For a more vibrant festive look, multi-coloured fairy lights are you choice, great for making a bold statement.

    Cluster Lights – Cluster lights have multiple strands coming off a main cable, creating a fuller, tinsel effect, perfect for wide surfaces.

    LED Lights – Christmas lights with LED bulbs are cost-efficient to run and great for energy-saving.

    How Many Lights Do I Need For My Christmas Tree?

    As a general rule of thumb, it is advised to have five metres of lights per 2ft of tree. It is wise to have an extra set of lights just in case, because nobody wants a gap in coverage.

    Follow our easy guide to fill your Christmas tree with just the right amount of lights, ensuring you get the look you’ll love. Our guide is based around the box sizes of lights we sell at Coolings, making shopping with us easy and hassle free.

    • 4ft (1.2m) – 100 bulbs
    • 5ft (1.5m) – 200 bulbs
    • 6ft (1.8m) – 360 bulbs
    • 7ft (2.1m) – 480 bulbs
    • 8ft (2.4m) – 750 bulbs

    Shop a selection of lights online, or see the full range in-store at Coolings Lifestyle or Coolings Wych Cross Garden Centre.

  • In Bloom 2025 Winners Announced!

    As devoted supporters of local community projects, including ‘In Bloom’, since the 1970s, Coolings are excited to be engaging local residents with the joy of gardening and supporting the essence of the competition, which is to help transform areas into better places to live and work, and to make residents, businesses and communities proud of their town.

    Thank you to everyone that entered, and a heartfelt congratulations to all the winners. It is always a joy seeing your lovely hard work.

  • Garden Centre Award Winners 2025

    Last night (Tuesday 8th July 2025) Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre were honoured to host the Garden Centre Association (GCA) Regional Awards Ceremony. The GCA is a UK organisation that ensures high standards in garden centres, members are inspected every year to ensure they offer great plants, products and friendly advice.

  • Hanging Baskets – How to Take Care of them

    We have a wonderful range of pre-planted hanging baskets, available in store. We also sell a wide range of hanging baskets and homegrown bedding so you can make your own – tailored to your personal taste and gardens individuality. Shop online or instore!

  • Chelsea Champions at Coolings

    We are thrilled to announce that we have secured stock of the Chelsea Flower Show’s for Chelsea’s Plant of the Year 2025

    Chelsea’s Plant of the Year 2025 – Philadelphus ‘Petite Perfume Pink’

    This Philadelphus is the first truly pink flowering Philadelphus. Its unique combination of colour, rich fragrance and compact form makes this plant unusual and very noteworthy.

    Chelsea's Plant of the Year

    Chelsea's Plant of the YearPhiladelphus ‘Petite Perfume Pink’ Chelsea 2025 Plant of the Year – shop here

    • Beautiful blush-pink blooms – rare and eye-catching
    • Mock orange, citrus rich scent
    • Easy to grow variety – will flourish in full sun or partial shade
    • Trouble free and thrives in most conditions
    • Compact nature that requires no pruning
    • Great for any garden – plant in borders or containers
    • Available in-store and online here – Coolings exclusive

     

    We also have in-stock the 2024 and 2023 Chelsea Flower Show Winners!

     

    Chelsea’s Plant of the Year 2024 – Prunus ‘Starlight’ (R)

    A flowering cherry with exceptionally attractive and unusual pure white star shaped flowers.

    Chelsea's Plant of the YearPrunus ‘Starlight’ Chelsea 2024 Plant of the Year – Shop here

    • Winter and spring ornamental flowering cherry
    • Profuse flowering habit in late March often extending well into April
    • ‘Starlight’ is special in that it carries flower clusters on its main stem as well as on younger side branches, boosting the flower power
    • The tree is a healthy grower, robust with glossy foliage and a graceful habit
    • The flower has good resistance to frost damage
    • Orange and yellow autumn leaf colour
    • Outstanding tree for spring and autumn interest and
    • Ideal for small gardens
    • Available in-store and online here

    Chelsea’s Plant of the Year 2023 – Agapanthus ‘Black Jack’

    Alluring black buds open to black-purple florets in huge round umbels, a stunning showstopper!

    Chelsea's Plant of the YearAgapanthus ‘Black Jack’ Chelsea 2023 Plant of the Year – Shop here

    • Wonderful sturdy, upright, statuesque form
    • Its umbels are huge, rounded and densely packed with up to a hundred individual florets, which provide an extended flowering season
    • Re-blooming characteristics, giving three months of flowers
    • Low maintenance plant that demands little water
    • Climate-proof, tolerating high summer heat and high winter rainfall, but needs some protection from hard frosts
    • Thrives in peat-free compost and is a magnet for pollinators
    • Striking in borders and containers – perfect for terraces, balconies and small gardens alike
    • Available in-store and online here

  • Explore Coolings – A Unique Garden Centre Tour

    Explore the Best of Coolings – A Unique Garden Centre Tour
    Tuesday 5th August | £52 per person (includes breakfast & lunch)

    Explore CoolingsJoin Ian Hazon, our Operations Director for a special day visiting three of the Coolings garden centres – a chance to experience the variety, personality and plants that make each Coolings truly unique.

    Arrive at Coolings The Gardener Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill for 8.45am and collect your takeaway breakfast before departing at 9am for a day full of inspiration.

    Our first stop is Coolings Potted Garden near Maidstone in Kent – our smallest centre, known for its excellent plant range, charming layout, and friendly, knowledgeable team.

    Next, we head to Coolings Wych Cross, situated on the wonderful Ashdown Forest, and famous for its outstanding collection of roses and home to the peaceful Pump Garden. Here you’ll enjoy a relaxed Ploughman’s Lunch and time to explore the site at your leisure.

    We’ll return to Rushmore Hill at approximately 4.30pm.

    This is a wonderful opportunity for gardening enthusiasts looking for a memorable day out immersed in plants and great company.

    Spaces are limited – so please book now and ensure to fill in your menu choices for breakfast and lunch.

    To book to Explore Coolings, please go via the booking page link here 

  • Help Keep Coolings Blooming – We’re Open & Accessible during Roadworks & appreciate your support!

    Help Keep Coolings Blooming

    UPDATE: 15/05/2025 – Road closure signs are out at the bottom of Rushmore Hill from the A21 / Pratts Bottom roundabout  – but our main Rushmore Hill site, The Gardener’s Garden Centre is STILL ACCESSIBLE from this bottom end of Rushmore Hill, so please do still come up the hill. Please note, if you are coming from Sevenoaks direction, along the A21, access via Pratt’s Bottom is NOT in ULEZ.

    Rushmore Hill has signs saying it is closed along its route before Park Corner (see map below), but we have been advised that the road is due to OPEN AGAIN ON MONDAY 19TH MAY, however, until then to access Coolings Lifestyle from the A21, please either go via Halstead village into Knockholt or alternatively if you prefer you can go via Cudham Lane if you are coming from the Orpington/Green Street Green direction. Customers coming from the Sevenoaks direction can still access Lifestyle from Star Hill and Knockholt route as usual. Thank you.

    Spring is here, our plants are looking fantastic, and we’re ready to help you make the most of your garden – but we need a little help from you too.

    As you may have heard, gas works are taking place on Rushmore Hill, which means your usual route into Coolings Garden Centre in Knockholt will be temporarily disrupted at some point during the works. While we’re still very much open, these works have come at the worst possible time – just as spring gets into full swing.

    That’s why we’re asking for your support as part of our Help Keep Coolings Blooming campaign!

    How You Can Help Keep Coolings Blooming Help Keep Coolings Blooming

    • Use the alternative route (large map below) to reach us safely and easily.
    • Visit our Knockholt and Coolings Lifestyle centres – both are fully open and stocked with beautiful plants, gifts, and more.
    • Collect a stamp each time you visit The Gardener’s Garden Centre and receive a £15 voucher after 3 visits – collect a leaflet in-store and start collecting stamps straight away! (See leaflet click here to read)
    • Shop online at www.coolings.co.uk – Click & Collect and delivery available.
    • Tell your friends, neighbours and family that we’re open and need their support.
    • Remember to pop in a take advantage of Coolings Family Card Exclusive Vouchers over the coming months (see further details below)Help Keep Coolings Blooming

    What’s Happening – and What You Need to Know

    • SGN are carrying out gas works that are affecting access via Rushmore Hill.
    • Coolings is OPEN as usual, and you can still reach us easily by following our suggested alternative route – shown clearly on the map below.
    • From 16th May to 1st July, SGN have assured us that they will pause their works and all roads to Coolings will be open again – great news for customers planning a late spring visit!

    Why It Matters

    Spring is our busiest season – it’s when we grow, sell, and deliver most of the plants that support our business for the rest of the year. We grow the majority of our plants right here at Coolings, and they’re all ready and waiting to brighten up your garden.

    As an Employee Ownership Trust, Coolings is owned by the people who work here – so when you shop with us, you’re directly supporting local jobs, not shareholders.

    We know a diversion isn’t ideal, but your continued support really is appreciated. Whether you’re popping in for a pot or planning a full garden refresh – every visit, every purchase, and every cuppa in the café helps keep Coolings blooming.

    We will keep you updated as the roadworks progress on here, but also on our Facebook pages visit https://www.facebook.com/coolingsgardencentre

    Thanks for being part of our community – we can’t wait to see you soon!

    Help Keep Coolings Blooming

    Coolings Family Card Vouchers – April, May, June & July

    See vouchers here – page 12/13 of your new Cuttings MagazineHelp Keep Coolings Blooming

     

  • Planting Workshops at Rushmore Hill

    Planting Workshops – learn how to plant your own Hanging Basket or Container!

    Planting Workshops at the Gardener’s Garden Centre, Knockholt – 4 dates – Limited places, booking essential.

     

    Wednesday 14th, Thursday 15th & Friday 16th May at 11am and 2pm

    Saturday 17th May at 9.30am

    Tickets are £30 per head and include refreshments, all materials and plants plus expert guidance.

    To book, please go via the booking page link here and just choose the date and time on the calendar and follow the booking process or you can call 01959 532269.

     

     

    When you come along to one of our Planting Workshops, you will learn from our Production Director, Ian, (pictured left) how to create a colourful hanging basket or pot container.

    This hands-on workshop will give you advice on how to choose your plants to the best effect from a selection provided on the day; how to plant them, making the most of their colour and form; and offer tips on how to care for your completed arrangement once you have it at home, so it continues to bloom throughout the summer season.

     

     

    The workshop lasts about an hour and is suitable for all, including wheelchair users.

     

    Upon arrival our friendly reception staff will point you in the direction of the event, and the in-centre signage to look out for.

    The event is available at our Rushmore Hill site only and we look forward to welcoming you.

     

     

     

  • Nursery Tours 2025

    Free Nursery Tours at the Gardener’s Garden Centre, Knockholt – 24th & 29th April 2025 – No booking required.

    Thursday 24th April at 11am and Tuesday 29th April at 11am & 2pm

    Come along to our Nursery Tours 2025 at Coolings Rushmore Hill where you will enjoy many highlights: learn how in the peak weeks, we get over 50,000 plants through the production cycle; how and why we provide fresh plants to our own sites that are still in bud; get an insight into the challenges that we face as growers and see behind the scenes taking in our extensive glasshouses, potting machines, rainwater reservoirs and irrigation systems. Plus meet some of our extremely talented and knowledgeable production staff.

    The tour lasts about an hour and is suitable for all, including wheelchair users.

    Dogs are welcome along too, but must be kept on leads at all times.

     

     

    Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear suitable footwear as some of the time you will be outside walking between the glasshouses

    Upon arrival our friendly reception staff will point you in the direction of the event, and the in-centre signage to look out for. No need to book, please just turn up 15 minutes before the tour times.

    If you have time before or after the Tour, why not take refreshments or treat yourself to lunch or cake at Arthurs Restaurant.

    The event is available at our Rushmore Hill site only and we look forward to welcoming you.

     

     

     

  • Diversion Routes to Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre & Lifestyle

    We are still OPEN and accessible.

    We have been notified of a temporary road closure in Knockholt village, 27th March to 2nd April, but both centres are open as usual and still accessible.  

    The road closure is at the top of Rushmore Hill, between Park Corner and Old London Road.

    Here are helpful guides for our visitors coming to The Gardener’s Garden Centre & Lifestyle during the temporary closure.

    🚗 For customers coming from Sevenoaks to The Gardener’s Garden Centre please turn right at the bottom of Star Hill and go via Polhill and down past Knockholt Station, to Rushmore Hill – please refer to map below or click here for the directions.

    🚗 For customers coming from Bromley to Lifestyle please go up to the Badgers Mount roundabout and along to turn right up Star Hill – please refer to map below or click here for the directions

    🚗 Rushmore Hill up to The Gardener’s Garden Centre is open as usual.

    🌼 We very much appreciate this may add a little time to your journey, but we really do appreciate and value your custom. It’s going to be a lovely weekend ahead and we have a new layout in-store at The Gardener’s Garden Centre, with lots of new plant stocks and special offers and new ranges in at Lifestyle too and our wonderful Arthurs Restaurant and Blueberry Café are open at both sites, serving delicious dishes and treats.

    See you soon!